Multiple circuit breaker tank support structure



A ril 20, 1965 MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BREAKER TANK SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 6, 1962 D. A. WALL E'l AL 3,179,776

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 8, INVENTORS April 20, 1965 n A. WALL ETAL 3,179,776

MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BREAKER TANK SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 6, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ammo 4. W444 4 TEE/$4156 April 20, 1965 D. A. WALL ETAL MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BREAKER TANK SUPPORT STRUCTURE s SheetS-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 6, 1962 INVENTORJ fifl/l/D A WALL 1 M52 7'. [654 /0980 April 20, 1965 D. A. WALL ETAL 3,179,776

MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BREAKER TANK SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 6, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORJ .04 W0 4. W444 arr-enema 5750c, fizz \rOFFAW April 20, 1965 D. A. WALL ETAL 3,179,776

MULTIPLE CIRCUIT BREAKER TANK SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 6, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 EI ZI United States Patent 3,179,776 MULTHLE ClRCUIT BREAKER TANK SUPPORT STRUCTURE 7 David A. Wall, Pasadena, and Elmer T. Eberhard, Glen- =Our invention relates to. a novel support structure for a multiple tank arrangement of oil circuit breakers, and more specifically relates to a novel support structure wherein the top frames of each of the tanks are secured together as an integral unit.

Oil circuit breakers are well known to the art which include interrupter equipment for a particular phase contained within its own respective tank. Systems of this type are set forth in copending application Serial No. 67,125, in the name of James R. McCloud, entitled Three Phase Oil Circuit Breaker, filed November 3, 1-960, now abandoned and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. 7

With such devices, it has been common practice to provide an individual support for each of the tanks, and to then fasten these individual supports together to prevent shifting of the various units. This securing together has been found in some instances to cause serious distortions of the equipment, due to welding operations, for example, and also results in a relatively expensive, com- .pleX arrangement.

Theprinciple of the present invention is to weld the bottom rings of each of the top frame assemblies of three oil circuit breaker tanks together. Thereafter, each of the rings are machined, and are provided with an appropriate gasket groove, and'are secured to the remainder of the top frame assembly. Thus, the top frame assembly is comprised of the three top frames for each of the circuit :breaker tanks which can be handled as a unit and carried in a common and relatively simple support frame which can be Welded to the top frame assembly.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a novel support structure for three oil. circuit breaker tanks wherein the three phases are made as an integral unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel support structure for oil circuit breaker tanks wherein welding operations cannot distort any of the component parts to prevent their assembly.

A further object of this invention is to pre-assemble selected portions of oil circuit breaker tanks which are part of a common three-phase system.

A further object of thisinvention is to provide a novel construction for a plurality of oil circuit breaker tanks which cannot interfere with the gasketing between the top frame assembly and the tank assembly.

These and other objects of our invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings, in which.

FIGURE 1 shows a side view of the assembled circuit breaker tanks on their support frame.

FIGURE .2 shows a side plan view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 schematically illustrates the interior of one 3,179,776 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 "ice section and partially in plan to illustrate the configuration of the gasket ring.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the top frame assembly which includes the ring of FIGURES 5 and 6.

FIGURE 8 isa quarter section view of the top frame of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 illustrates the manner in which three top frame assemblies of the type shown in FIGURES -7 and 8 are pre-assembled into an integral unit.

FIGURE 10 is a side sectional view of the assembly of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a front view of the top frame assembly of FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 12 is a top view ofthe complete assembly Where FIGURES 9 and 10 show only one-half of the assembled frame.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, I have illustrated therein three oil circuit breakers 20, 21 and 22 which are each provided with pairs of bushings such as bushings 23 and 24 which receive the terminals of a respective phase of a three-phase line.

The tank assemblies of the. circuit breakers are carried in a support frame which includes top beam 25 and four legs such as legs 26, 2'7 and 28 which can be fastened to a foundation, and braces such as longitudinal brace 29 and diagonal braces 3d and 31.

An operating mechanism 32 is then secured to the frame assembly in any desired manner. Output linkages and similar openating equipment extend from the operating mechanism 32 to the various circuit breaker tanks 2o, 21 and 22 through conduit 34 and dome 35 which contains other mechanism, as indicated in copending applications Serial No. 767,383, now Patent No. 3,106,137, filed October 15, 1958 in the name of James McCloud entitledYOperating Mechanism for Circuit Breakers, and Serial No. 157,352, in the name of James McCloud entitled Motor Operated Spring Mechanism both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

Each of the circuit breakers 20, 21 and 22 can, for example, contain equipment of the type shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4- which show tank 20 as including interrupters and 41 which are supported from bushings 23 and 24 respectively, and which are immersed in oil contained within tank 20 to a level, for example, as indicated by the dotted line 42. i 1

The interrupters 40 and 41 can be constructed in the manner shown in copending applications Serial No. 2,390 now Patent No. 3,128,360, filed January 14, 1960 :in the name of Earl B. Rietz entitled Single Contact Interrupter and Serial No. 2,530, now abandoned filed January 14, 1960 in the name of Earl B. Rietz entitled Single Contact Interrupter both of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and receive movable bayonet contacts 43 and 44 respectively which are secured to a conductive cross bar 45 which is carried by a lift-rod 46. .The lift-rod 46 is then connected to an operating mechanism 47 which moves lift-rod 46 upwardly and downwardly in accordance with operation of operating mechanism 32 of FIGURES 1 and 2.

As further seen in FIGURES '3 and 4, the oil circuit breaker tank is formed of a lower tank body which terminates in a heavy cross-section ring 541. cross-section ring 50 terminates in an annular tongue which fits into a gasket contained in an annular groove .in ring 51. The ring 51 is then secured to the top frame assembly 52 whereby the tank body ending at ring 50 can be lowered by an appropriate tank lifter attachment secured to the frame-workof FIGURES land 2 so that the tank can be lowered to, expose the interrupters 4i) and 41 and similar equipment carried from the top The heavy of each of the three circuit breakers of FIGURES 1 and 2 are integrally welded together and are assembled as a common unit. This novel construction also includes a novel method of achieving the construction so that the assembly is formed without unnecessarily distorting the cooperating tongue and groove sections of rings d and 51 which must form an accurate, tight seal.

The ring 51 is illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 in more detail, and is merely a heavy metallic ring.

In accordance with the invention, and prior to the assembly of ring 51 to the top frame assembly, four cars 66), 61, 62; and 63 are Welded to the ring. At the same time, hooks such as hooks 65 are secured around the periphery of the ring to serve as means for receiving clamps which will secure the top frame on the lower tank assembly when the top frame is placed in position with respect to the tank assembly.

After the welding of cars 6t through 63 to the ring 51 is achieved, the groove 64 is machined into the ring, as shown in FIGURE 6, where the groove 64- can receive an appropriate gasket means to alternately receive the cooperating annular tongue of ring 56 of FIGURES 3 and 4. It is to be noted that this machining operation occurs after the initial welding of ears 6% through 63 takes place so that the welding operation cannot distort the shape of annular groove 64'.

Once the ring 51 of FIGURES 5 and 6 is appropriately prepared, it is secured to the upper portion of the top frame 52, as illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8, as by welding the top frame portion 52 to ring 51 around the periphery, as indicated in FIGURE 8 by the weld 79. The top frame portion 52 has the bushing-receiving structures 71 and 72 formed therein before the ring 51 is secured to member 52.

After the individual top frame assembly of FIGURES 7 and 8 is completed, the various top frame assemblies are laid adjacent one another, as indicated in FIGURE 9 which shows one-half of three assemblies, the other half being symmetric with FIGURE 9 (see FIGURE 12) so that the assembly 80 is immediately adjacent assembly 81, and is held in an appropriate spacing by an appropriate jig means.

The side frames such as upper frame 25, and a similar frame 82 which are of appropriate steel channels are then laid immediately adjacent the ears of the individual top frame assemblies and are welded to the ears. Thus, in FIGURE 9, ears 62 and 63 of frame 80 are welded to support beam 25, and similar ears such as ears 62 of frame 81 are welded to support 25. In a similar manner, ears 60 and 61 of top frame assembly 80 are welded to steel beam 82, while car 60 of frame 81 is similarly .welded to steel beam 82.

To provide additional support between the adjacent top frame assemblies, a connecting strap such as strap 95 having extending legs 96 and 97 is welded between adjacent top frame assemblies 80 and $1 with a similar connecting strap between top frame assembly 81 and its adjacent assembly to the right in the drawing as shown in FIGURE 12 as strap 102.

The baffie members such as baffle members 96 and 97 have openings 96a and 97a respectively therein which allow the passage of a pull rod common to each of the breaker operating mechanisms 47 and which is operated from the common operating mechanism 32. A pair of side members 9511 and 95b (FIGURE 9) then form a box-like enclosure with baffles 96 and 97 and strap 95 which encloses the pull rod passing to an adjacent unit as from member 8% to member 81. This housing serves to maintain rigidity and alignment of the entire support structure and further serves to prevent transfer of oil or gasses from a pole unit to any adjacent structure.

The complete structure is shown in top plan view in FIGURE 12 where the top frame assemblies 80, 81 and 100 are seen to be rigidly secured to one another by the side beams 25 and 82, as well as the connecting straps and 1%.

In assembling the device, all three top frame assemblies are handled as an integral unit, and the frame legs such as frame legs 26, 27 and 28 of FIGURES 1 and 2 are welded to the frame assemblies along with the cross bars and diagonal reinforcing bars of the frame.

Since the top frames are secured together as an assembly, they will not be excessively distorted during the welding operation in securing the legs of the frame and other elements to the integral unit, and the gasket grooves in rings 51 of each of the assemblies will always be free and will form a close fit on their respective tank bodies.

Although we have described preferred embodiments of our novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and we prefer therefore to be limited not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a multiphase oil circuit breaker assembly and support framework therefor; a first, second and third tank for a first, second and third phase; each of said tanks comprising a lower tank body and a circular upper top frame assembly removably secured to its said lower tank body; said circular top frame assembly of each of said tanks being secured to one another to form a rigid integral subassembly independent of said support framework; said subassembly of said three circular top frame assemblies being secured to a support framework; said circular top frame assemblies being secured to one another by welded connecting bars; at least two of said welded connecting bars running tangent to opposite sides of each of said circular top frame assemblies and forming part of said support framework; each of said top frame assemblies comprising a ring portion and a top cover portion; the lower surface of each of said rings having a respective annular groove therein for receiving the upper portion of its respective lower tank body; said circular top frame assemblies being secured to one another through said rings.

2. In a multiphase oil circuit breaker assembly and support framework therefor; a first, second and third tank for a first, second and third phase; each of said tanks comprising a lower tank body and a circular upper top frame assembly removably secured to its said lower tank body; said circular top frame assembly of each of said tanks being secured to one another to form a rigid integral subassembly independent of said support framework; said subassembly of said three circular top frame assemblies being secured to a support framework; said circular top frame assemblies being secured to one another by welded connecting bars; at least two of said welded connecting bars running tangent to opposite sides of each of said circular top frame assemblies and forming part of said support framework; each of said top frame assemblies comprising a ring portion and a top cover portion; the lower surface of each of said rings having a respective annular groove therein for receiving the upper portion of its respective lower tank body; said circular top frame assemblies being secured to one another through said rings; said at least two connecting bars being welded to cars protruding from said rings.

3. In a multiphase oil circuit breaker assembly and support framework therefor; a first, second and third tank for a first, second and third phase; each of said tanks comprising a lower tank body and a circular upper top frame assembly removably secured to its said lower tank body; said circular top frame assembly of each of said tanks being secured to one another to form a rigid integral subassembly independent of said support framework; said subassembly of said three circular top frame assemblies being secured to a support framework; said circular top frame assemblies being secured to one another by welded connecting bars; at least two of said welded connecting bars running tangent to opposite sides of each of said circular top frame assemblies and forming part of said support framework; each of said top frame assemblies comprising a ring portion and a top cover portion; the lower surface of each of said rings having a respective annular groove therein for receiving the upper portion of its respective lower tank body; said circular top frame as semblies being secured to one another through said rings; said at least two connecting bars being Welded to ears protruding from said rings; said ears being welded to said 6 rings before assembly of said rings and said upper portions of said circular top frame assemblies.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MULTIPHASE OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSEMBLY AND SUPPORT FRAMEWORK THEREFOR; A FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD TANK FOR A FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PHASE; EACH OF SAID TANKS COMPRISING A LOWER TANK BODY AND A CIRCULAR UPPER TOP FRAME ASSEMBLY REMOVABLY SECURED TO ITS SAID LOWER TANK BODY; SAID CIRCULAR TOP FRAME ASSEMBLY OF EACH OF SAID TANKS BEING SECURED TO ONE ANOTHER TO FORM A RIGID INTEGRAL SUBASSEMBLY INDEPENDENT OF SAID SUPPORT FRAMEWORK; SAID SUBASSEMBLY OF SAID THREE CIRCULAR TOP FRAME ASSEMBLIES BEING SECURED TO A SUPPORT FRAMEWORK; SAID CIRCULAR TOP FRAME ASSEMBLIES BEING SECURED TO ONE ANOTHER BY WELDED CONNECTING BARS; AT LEAST TWO OF SAID WELDED CONNECTING BARS RUNNING TANGENT TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH OF SAID CIRCULAR TOP FRAME ASSEMBLIES AND FORMING PART OF SAID SUPPORT FRAMEWORK; EACH OF SAID TOP FRAME ASSEMBLIES COMPRISING A RING PORTION AND A TOP COVER PORTION; THE LOWER SURFACE OF EACH OF SAID RINGS HAVING A RESPECTIVE ANNULAR GROOVE THEREIN FOR RECEIVING THE UPPER PORTION OF ITS RESPECTIVE LOWER TANK BODY; SAID CIRCULAR TOP FRAME ASSEMBLIES BEING SECURED TO ONE ANOTHER THROUGH SAID RINGS. 